Night of the Spider

Legs so fuzzy, jaws of steel,
Thought to make of me, a meal,
Panic made my old bones, spry,
From the room, I learned to fly.

Night of the Spider By Arley Steinhour 091512

I woke up in the night, Three, Thirty, be about right, Feeling there might be some kind of danger. With a daring, not in me, I feared a burglar might just be, Intruder, after treasure, here a stranger.

Alas, the house was still, My heart increasing danger trill, I must stay awake, against my groggy will. Then my eyelids opened wider, Glancing up, I saw a giant spider, Escape was all I thought, as Time stood still.

Never, in this fruitful land, Had I seen a spider, big as hand, Slowly creeping across the ceiling, right at me. I'd prefer the sneak of thief, Than a creature beyond belief, Thoughts focused, from that denizen to flee.

Sheet, I flipped into the air, Rolled out of bed, with footing fair, My speed, and age, matched at Seven-Three. Out the door, and on my way, To my can of Wasp and Hornet spray, So I could sleep until 'High Noon,' Spider-Free.

Only moments, I was back, I'd even grabbed a plastic body-sack, But alas, spider had run away without a fight. I did search so carefully, But not a sign of spider, could I see, Then I knew I couldn't sleep no more, tonight.

Hardware opened up, at Eight, To beat the rush, by eight, I'm at the gate, I purchased plenty, killer bug-spray fumigant. I know I wasn't fighting fair, Using fans, to circulate the air, Spider loses, even hiding where I think it can't.

Without friends and family, I fumigated, from the shade of Walnut tree, Day with God, and laptop Bible, in deep praise and prayer. Not quite the end of story, Can't find spider, still need worry, Unless, Jesus snatches us away, His Eternity, to Share.

Looks like a Mexican Redknee. A creature of great beauty. Another fine example of God's creation. Form, function, and purpose.

-- Posted by Chunky Peanut Butter on Sat, Sep 15, 2012, at 10:26 PM

I used this one, as it has similar conformation, with what I saw, in the dark.

I have no heartburn with the spiders place in nature, but my bedroom is not an estuary, especially when I am 'kicked' out of a very sound sleep, to face danger. IMO, the critter sneaking across my ceiling, might prove a bit more potent than the Mexican red-knee. I'm still not sure I stopped my intruder, with the fumigant.

-- Posted by Navyblue on Sat, Sep 15, 2012, at 10:55 PM

Of all of God's creation, I find the spider to be the most fascinating.

-- Posted by Chunky Peanut Butter on Sat, Sep 15, 2012, at 11:17 PM

We're all thankful that spiders can't fly.

-- Posted by Kerikeh on Fri, Sep 21, 2012, at 3:06 PM

My AMEN, to that, Kerikeh. However, memory reminds me that I read an article many yarns ago, about how some spiders actually migrate, through flight. They, I believe, spin a web on their legs, attach the silk thread to a tree, and fly themselves like a kite. I don't remember the altitude, for sure, but planes reported wind-screen spotting, by them, at thousands of feet altitude.

I don't love spiders, but I do respect their contribution to our Biome (from a distance, of course). (^8